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Used book in good condition. May have some wear to binding spine cover and pages. Some light highlighting markings writing may be present. May have some stickers and or sticker residue present. May be Ex-lib. copy. May NOT include discs or access code or other supplemental material. Ships directly from Amazon and is eligible for Prime or super saver FREE shipping. Used book in good condition. May have some wear to binding spine cover and pages. Some light highlighting markings writing may be present. May have some stickers and or sticker residue present. May be Ex-lib. copy. May NOT include discs or access code or other supplemental material. Ships directly from Amazon and is eligible for Prime or super saver FREE shipping. See less
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Sonny Rollins Plays the Bridge Hardcover – Picture Book, October 19, 2021

5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 3 ratings

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James Ransome's glorious art celebrates jazz icon Sonny Rollins and how he found an inspired spot to practice his saxophone when his neighbors complained.

Sonny Rollins loved his saxophone. As a teenager, he was already playing with jazz stars and making a name for himself. But in 1959, at age twenty-nine, he took a break from performing—to work on being a better, not just famous, musician. Practicing in a city apartment didn’t please the neighbors, so Sonny found a surprising alternative—the Williamsburg Bridge. There, with his head in the clouds and foghorns for company, Sonny could play to his heart’s content and perfect his craft. It was a bold choice, for a bold young man and musician.


Sonny’s passion for music comes alive in jazzy text and vivid, evocative paintings of New York City. His story celebrates striving to be your very best self, an inspiration to music lovers young and old.
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 2-5-This poetic book offers a glimpse into the life and music of Sonny Rollins. It begins with a description of the Bridge and the city surrounding it. Readers then follow Rollins as he is drawn to the bridge to play in harmony with the sounds of the city around him. The real strength of this work is its rich, figurative language. This book would be a terrific support to studying poetry with students. The verse is written in clear lines and stanzas that will support foundational poetry standards. Students could listen to the musicians's work with this narrative and draw parallels between what they hear in the music and what is described in the text. The lush watercolor illustrations are highly detailed and support the text wonderfully. Back matter includes details about and photographs of Rollins and the Williamsburg Bridge. Reading this back matter with students before analyzing the poetry will support their comprehension and connections. Positive representations of Black artists are always welcome additions to library collections, and this work stands out as a biography in verse. VERDICT Recommended for elementary collections, especially for poetry, biography, and music units.-Christina Salazar, Mesquite I.S.D., TXα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

★ “Based on a true story, this charming picture book captures and shares the spirit and rhythm of Sonny’s playing. The free verse text makes nice use of figurative language (“The river is a shiny endless song,” “the sprawling spider city”) and Ransome’s gorgeous representational art, richly created with watercolor and collage, expands the story beautifully. Together, text and art are a happy exercise in harmony to delight readers’ ears and eyes. Following the story, readers will find back matter offering more details on Rollins' life, beliefs, and music, as well as the Williamsburg Bridge.”—Booklist, starred review

★ “The harmony represented on the page...is also reflected in the harmony between the poetic text and the artistic images: Both show an African American man who finds peace on his own terms, in his own space, doing what he is meant to do...Ransome’s illustrations convey character, mood and setting to great effect, matching the spare, effective text with energy and vibrancy that tempt readers to seek out Rollins’ sound. This meditation on music, art, and integrity offers inspiration and food for thought. This loving tribute is a generous introduction to a figure worth knowing.”—
Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “In an evocative snapshot of a moment in a musician’s life, Golio celebrates Black saxophonist Sonny Rollins’s (b. 1930) private escape to a public place. . . . Ransome creates vivid watercolor and collage spreads. . . . Ransome doesn’t stint on background scenery; he paints the structure, the buildings below it, and even the traffic along the river with reverence. Up on the bridge, golden bubbles of effervescent sound burst from the bell of Rollins’s instrument as he plays to his heart’s content . . . against the rhythm of trains 'clanking clanging' and 'tugboats/ blowing bass notes.' The creators’ deliberate lines and detailed visuals sing like music themselves as they pay homage to an artist who finds a way to ring out loud and clear.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Poetic book...Rich, figurative language. This book would be a terrific support to studying poetry with students…The lush watercolor illustrations are highly detailed and support the text wonderfully...Positive representations of Black artists are always welcome additions to library collections, and this work stands out as a biography in verse. Recommended for elementary collections, especially for poetry, biography, and music units.” —
School Library Journal, starred review

"Golio is known for his picture-book biographies about musicians, and here his precise and expressive free verse is well paired with Ransome’s evocative art. In beautiful watercolor and collage he splendidly captures both the vibrant spirit of the city and the luminous persona of the jazzman. Back matter includes information about Rollins’s career and the Williamsburg Bridge as well as some of Rollins’s own words." —
Horn Book

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Nancy Paulsen Books (October 19, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1984813668
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1984813664
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ NP
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.88 x 0.35 x 9.31 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 3 ratings

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Gary Golio
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A visual artist, musician, and psychotherapist, Gary Golio is the author of the New York Times- bestselling JIMI: Sounds Like A Rainbow – A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix, recipient of a 2011 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. His other books include When Bob Met Woody: The Story of the Young Bob Dylan; Spirit Seeker: The Musical Journey of John Coltrane; Bird & Diz - Two Friends Create Bebop; Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song; Carlos Santana - Sound of the Heart, Song of the World; SMILE - How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry); Dark Was the Night - Blind Willie Johnson's Journey to the Stars; and Sonny Rollins Plays the Bridge. His forthcoming books include Everywhere Beauty is Harlem – The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava (2023), The Soldier's Friend - Walt Whitman's Extraordinary Service in the American Civil War (Calkins Creek/Astra, 2024), William Carney Carries the Flag - The Remarkable Story of America's First Black Medal of Honor Winner (Calkins Creek/Astra, 2025), and Silence Sounds Simple - A Day in the Life of John Cage (Calkins Creek/Astra, TBD).

Each of these books highlights an artist’s roots and influences, promoting the idea that artists are models of persistence and commitment, embodying values of imagination, hopefulness, and self-acceptance.

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2021
    Great for kids with an interest in music.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2022
    Awesome and inspiring story about a jazz musician who doesn’t allow the world around him to distract him and follows the small still voice within. Children book with a great message for adults as well.